American Fertility Association launches new phone support service

May 3 2005

The American Fertility Association announced the launch of their NEW Patient Appointment Assistance Program -- a free groundbreaking national physician referral and appointment scheduling service that actually connects patients with fertility specialists.

"We continue to be stunned and dismayed by the number of people who want children but don't seek medical help when they have difficulty conceiving," said Pamela Madsen, Executive Director, The American Fertility Association. "So we are introducing the Patient Appointment Assistance Program -- a new service that takes a standard referral service to a bold new level of actually making the connection between the patient and the physician. Providing the additional service of helping a potential patient to schedule an appointment might be the boost they need to get into treatment," she added.

The AFA has over 22,000 members, many of whom are newcomers to fertility treatments, and they rely on The AFA to help them find a fertility provider. Whether an AFA caller is having difficulty finding a provider, making a first- appointment call, or finding a source for a second opinion, The AFA Patient Appointment Assistance Program can help.

As current and former fertility patients, the staff and volunteers of The AFA know all too well how difficult it can be to make that first call to a reproductive specialist even when there are no barriers such as financial constraints. Now with the help of the Patient Appointment Assistance Program, an AFA Patient Advocate will present a caller with a list of providers from The AFA Physician Referral Network if they do not already have a physician in mind. Once the caller selects a physician, the AFA Patient Advocate actually places the phone call to the provider, with the patient on the line, to help schedule the first appointment.

The AFA Patient Advocate stays on the line with the patient, and helps them to ask the right questions and to decipher expectations for their appointment.

"It's like having a confident big sister who knows exactly what to do. One who says 'take my hand, we're going to do this together,'" added Ms. Madsen. "When I went through my treatments, my sister had already been there and I relied on her strength and knowledge. Many patients are not as fortunate, so The AFA is stepping up to provide this support."

The Patient Appointment Assistance Program is offered free of charge and The AFA receives no financial reimbursement for referring patients.

For more information on The AFA Patient Appointment Assistance Program, visit our Web site at www.TheAFA.org or call our Support Line at 888-917-3777.